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A Minecraft-inspired game called Hytale is coming soon, and it already looks cool as well as sweet. It's being developed by the co-founders of the Hypixel Minecraft server, and Riot Games, the makers of League of Legends, is on board as an investor.

"Hypixel" is a massive Minecraft server created in 2012. It features a whole bunch of mini-games for users to conquer, which earns it regular spotlights in Minecraft streams and on popular YouTube channels. Hytale, which is being developed by the newly-formed indie team Hypixel Studios, likewise lets players play complex mini-games.

That's not all. Hytale is a separate game from Minecraft, and though it uses the "voxel"-style graphics made popular by Mojang's building / adventure title, it carries a distinct visual style. The character and enemy models are much more detailed, and seemingly more animated. For example, the trailer demonstrates how blocks and other building materials jump a little when they're hit with pickaxes.

Aside from building and mini-games, Hypixel promises Hytale lets players "embark on a journey through a procedurally generated fantasy world either solo or with friends." The trailer puts a special emphasis on exploring and fighting (PvP included), and there seems to be a wider range of enemies than what Minecraft generally offers.

Hypixel isn't ready to announce a release date for Hytale yet, and the game's FAQ says it's slated for PC and Mac, "with the capacity to run game servers on Linux." Other platforms are a possibility, but PC and Mac are the focus for now. If you're Hytale-curious, you can sign up for its beta. And if you're a fan of the Hypixel Minecraft server, fear not: The team plans to keep supporting it.

Nadia has been writing about games for so long, only the wind and the rain (or the digital facsimiles thereof) remember her true name. She's written for Nerve, About.com, Gamepro, IGN, 1UP, PlayStation Official Magazine, and other sites and magazines that sling words about video games. She co-hosts the Axe of the Blood God podcast, where she mostly screams about Dragon Quest.